DHAKA,  – The government today launched ‘Bangladesh IT Connect Portal-Netherlands’, a virtual desk in Bangladesh embassy in the Netherlands to connect investors and partners, explore business and help attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Connecting to digital Platform State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak inaugurated the `Bangladesh IT Connect Portal-Netherlands (nl.itconnect.gov.bd),’ a joint venture of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) and embassy of the Netherlands which will play a role of a catalyst to bring business and investment from the Netherlands by connecting IT companies of both the countries.

As part of the event a discussion was organized with the title: “Netherlands-Bangladesh: Forging a Digital Economy Partnership” marking 50 years of Bangladesh and the Netherlands friendship. Ambassador of Bangladesh embassy to the Netherlands M Riaz Hamidullah moderated the function which was addressed, among others, by programme manager of Royal Dutch Shell Kabir Siraj, Founder of Amsterdam based PlanetNine Maarteen Roelofs, head of Innovation Product Portfolio of Uber Amsterdam Kazi Zulqar spoken at the function. IT-ITES expert Sami Ahmed presented a power point on `Bangladesh IT Connect Portal-Netherlands (nl.itconnect.gov.bd)’ at the function.

Addressing the function, Palak said the government has been establishing Sheikh Hasina Institute of Frontier Technology (SHIFT), Center for Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), Digital Leadership Academy and building innovation ecosystem to cope up with the 4IR. “We’re also establishing 35,000 Sheikh Russel Digital Labs and 300 schools of future, which will also play vital role to build skill human resources of 4IR,” he added.

The state minister for ICT said the Netherlands is Bangladesh’s one of the leading partners in trade and investment in many sectors and the virtual desk launched today would foster partnership and collaboration in the areas of trade and investment of ICT sector. Bangladesh has been developing ICT infrastructure including 39 Hi-Tech/ IT Parks for the investors in its journey towards building digital economy and many local and foreign companies are running business in the already-built 10 Hi-Tech/IT Parks and IT incubation centers.

The ICT state minister said, ‘Bangladesh IT Connect Portal-Netherlands’ would help Bangladesh and the Netherlands to explore greater areas of cooperation and collaboration in the technology and Business process outsourcing (BPO) sector and digital economies of both the countries. More than 70 IT exporting companies from Bangladesh have already uploaded their profiles that are already working at the Netherlands or consider the Netherlands as their potential market.